FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has launched a scathing attack on former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, criticising his alliance with an opposition coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Wike said this at the commissioning of the rehabilitated Aguma Palace Road and New Market Road in the Gwagwalada Area Council on Friday, an event attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Wike directly challenged Amaechi, noting that because he has left office, he’s angry.
“You said Nigerians are angry. You want to come back to power; you won’t come back”, Wike declared, dismissing Amaechi’s aspirations.
Wike’s comments came a day after Amaechi, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, expressed interest in contesting presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Amaechi, former governor of River State during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday indicated his willingness to serve a single term if elected.
In his interview, Amaechi critiqued the Tinubu administration’s economic management, suggesting that the achievements of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government surpassed the incumbent’s so far.
The exchange marks the latest chapter in the long-standing political rivalry between Amaechi and Wike, both former governors of Rivers State in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta.
Amaechi governed from May 2007 to May 2015, handing over power to Wike, who then served for eight years.
The once-allied politicians parted ways years ago, with Wike now a prominent minister in Tinubu’s administration despite his roots in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Amaechi recently exited the APC to join the newly formed ADC opposition coalition, which aims to unseat the current government.
Responding directly to Amaechi’s ambition and the formation of the ADC coalition, Wike challenged the former minister and his allies to ‘show their scorecards.’
He retorted, “You never made angry Nigerians happy, but Tinubu stayed in office for six months and you started saying Nigerians are angry.”
Wike also boasted of his political victories over Amaechi’s party in Rivers State during the last two presidential elections.
“They said the coalition has started. When will you stop deceiving Nigerians? Somebody came into office six months then you started the coalition, but you had the opportunity to be Minister of Transportation for eight years. What did you do?”, Wike said.
